Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1887-07-21
YOUR YEARS IN THE PEN
And a 81. 900 Fine-Motion for Stay
Denied.

His wife sat by his bedside through the
night, tanning him and giving him
cooling drinks when he awoke at inter-
walls. Mrs. Sharp assisted her husband
to dress for his second trip to the court
to receive sentence. He bore the same
Indifferent, listless almost dazed man.
ner noticed since his conviction.
Sharp was able to take but little nour-
ishment and was very week. He was
escorted from the Jail to the carriage
awaiting to convey him down, by War
den Keating, under Sheriff Heating and
Deputy Kerran. Mrs. Sharp accom-
panied her husband. Arriving at the
court house the party alighted and
passed through the lane made for them
by the police through the waiting crowd
Of curious people to the sheriffs Office
and thence to the court room.
Sharp was so week that on going to
the carriage from the Jail and on leav-
ing it on his way into the court house
and up the stairs to the court room, it
was necessary for the officers guarding
him to support his tottering form. Long
before Shapr's arrival crowds invaded
the court house trying to obtain en-
trance to the court room, or stood on
the sidewalk without the building. u
Comparatively few of the throDg that
applied for entrance to the court room
succeeded in getting in. There were
sufficient number admitted, however,
to fill every seat. Judge Barrett, whose
illness yesterday, compelled a postpone
ment Of sentence of the convicted man,
had recovered sufficiently to-day to be
present in court, He arrived at almost
the same moment as the prisoner. \.
When Sharp entered thecoart roomit
lacked but two minutes of'noons the
hourat which the court was to be open
ed. He was accompanied by bis wifi, his
son-in-law, Mr.. Selmes, and grandson,
George Sharp. Messrs. Nelson, Stick
ney, Parsons and Michel, as counsef'
for the convicted men were already in
the court room. Sharp took but little
notice of any one but sank into chair
with an air of utter exhaustion and sat
silently with livid face, bowed head and
clasped hands at the table before the
bar. District AttorneY MARITIME and his
assistants entered at 1915 O'clock and
two minutes later Judge Barrett en-
tered and took his seat on the bench.
Sharp's counsel, Mr.. Mitchell, said he
had no application to make for delay,
but would move for a new trial, and
read paper in which II was claimed
that the trial was unfair, that the jury
was prejudiced, and the judges charge
was unfair to the defendant. The mo-
tion for q new trial was denied. t(-k
The District Attorney then moved
that the prisoner be sentenced. He sug-
gested that it would be proper to make
an inquiry into his PHYSICAL condition,
and asked the court to appoint physi-
clans to make such inquiry.
He read certificates from Drs. Ham
ilton and Janway, stating that Sharp's
health was very bad, that he was suf-
fering from diabetes, Inflammation of
kidneys and organic disease of the
heart, which was of serious import to q
man 20 years of age. He then read DIR.
Hamilton's report on the sanitary con-
dition of Sing-Sing and the arrange
ments there for the sick, which was
pronouced excellent. He then moved
for sentence. Lawyer Mitchell rose and
made last appeal for mercy to Sharp.
At the conclusion of Mr.. MitchelPs
appeal, the clerk asked the prisoner if
he had anything to say why the SEN
tence should not be pronounced on
him. The old man staggered to bis
feet. mumbled inaudible negative, and
sat down again.
Judge Barrett then sentenced him to
Imprisonment in the state prison for
four years and to- pay fine of 5000.
Judge Barrett perfaced the imposition
of sentence by saying it was the most
delicate task in his whole professional
career. He had received letters from
many people pleading for mercy and
otherwise in this case, but a court was
not appointed to be merciful further
than was dictated by the laws ofjustice.
The defendant had nothing to offer in
support of plea for mercy but age and
sickness. No attempt has been made
to prove good character, It was absurd
to state that he was not guilty of giving
the bribes, as he was undoubtedly the
leader of the whole affair. The crime
itself was an enormous one, the raising
ofa half a million dollars to corrupt leg
islators. Judge Barrett went on to re-
view Sharp's actionin forming bogus
company to contract for the building
of tlle BroadwHy surface road by which
Sharp made d million dollars. The
Judge chafactetiaed this as a crime
for which Sharp could have been in
dicted as well as for the bribery! "What
is there,n continued Judge Barrett, ito
excite pity or mercy except the age
and ill-health of the prisoner and the
mourning of his family? With over a
million dollars in his pocket, clamors for
mercy, without offering to pay one pen
ny Of the money stolen, so that should
he die in prison, his family has vast
fortune to fall back upon"
At this point Mrs. Sharp buried her
face in her handkerchief and wcpt
silently. The prisoner himself did not
lift his face from the table.
aThe legislature continued the
Judge ''does not allow us to go below
the minimum penalty in such cases as
the present. All cannot be satisfied,
those who clamor for the prisoners re-
ceiving the full penalty of the law
and those calling for reprimand.-
The sentence of the court is that the
prisoner be confined in States prison
for four years at hard labor, and that
he paya fine of 5000.
An attempt at applause was made in
one corner of the court room, but it
was at once suppressed. Mr. Mitchell
asked for delay in the removal of Sharp
: to Sing Sing until he had settled some
affairs Judge Barrett said there was
no provision of law for such delay, and
that he did not think 1t was deserved
BY the prisoner evenif there wass At